Reps. John D. Dingell, Chairman of the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak, Chairman of the
Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, announced that their ongoing
investigation has broadened to include the scientific and regulatory firm
the Weinberg Group. In a letter to the Washington, DC based consultancy,
Dingell and Stupak ask for records pertaining to work the group has done
on the chemical Bisphenol A, as well as other chemicals. “The tactics
apparently employed by the Weinberg Group raise serious questions about
whether science is for sale at these consulting groups, and the effect
this faulty science might have on the public health,” Dingell said. “From
previous correspondence, it appears that the Weinberg Group prides itself
on using its ‘scientific capital’ to create an outcome desired by
corporate clients,” Stupak added. “It is not at all clear whether such
outcomes are supported by the real scientific evidence.”

Shortly after the GEC and others in Glynn County called for the testing of
Altama Elementary School in July 2007, Hercules hired the Weinberg Group
to assess the toxicity of toxaphene. EPA documents indicate the hiring of
the Weinberg Group is part of a larger plan to delay testing of Altama
Elementary School for at least three years.

“The tactics apparently employed by the Weinberg Group raise serious
questions about whether science is for sale at these consulting groups,
and the effect this faulty science might have on the public health,”
Dingell said.

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John Dingell and Bart Stupak – the committee chair and its investigations
chair – demanded that the industry come clean about the degree to which it
has been able to corrupt science at the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA and Hercules are deeply intertwined with the scientific journal,
consulting groups, and individuals currently the subject of Congressional
investigations. The questionable practices of those under investigation
appear to be planned in response to calls for testing of Altama Elementary
School in July 2007.

After the EPA was formally requested to test Altama Elementary School, a
series of meetings took place between the EPA and Hercules. The EPA noted
that the public remains concerned about Altama Elementary School and
future sampling is a possibility, but the EPA wants to first address
toxicity. Hercules hired the Weinberg Group to perform toxicological
studies on toxaphene, which could take 3-4 years.

Congressional investigators noted that among other strategies, the
Weinberg Group proposes developing “blue-ribbon panels” to create
awareness of safety regarding chemicals. Next, construct a study to
establish not only that a chemical is safe, but also coordinate the
publishing of white papers. This appears to be the plan proposed by the
consulting firm for Glynn County toxaphene contaminated sites like the
school.

The Weinberg Group created a Scientific Advisory Panel to comment on the
toxaphene toxicity testing plan. Included on this panel was Dr. James
Klaunig, a person of interest to the Congressional investigators for his
past activities. The comments of the panel were incorporated into the
testing plan.

The toxaphene toxicity testing plan designed by the Weinberg Group is a
two part study. The first study is intended to be used to modify the
second study, depending upon the data developed. The intent appears to be
the design of a second study that will produce the desired results. Not
surprising is that the Simon and
Manning article from the journal under a Congressional Investigation,
Regulatory
Toxicology and Pharmacology, is
used in the study plan to limit the number of toxaphene chemical
components that will be tested for toxicity. Also noteworthy is that the
few toxaphene chemicals to be tested are only found in very small amounts
in Glynn County.

The Weinberg Group came to their attention in January 2008 when Dingell
and Stupak launched an investigation into BPA, writing seven prominent
manufacturers of baby food, as well as the Food and Drug Administration.
Bisphenol A, which some scientists say could be linked with diabetes,
cancer and obesity, may be used in material that lines the cans of infant
formula and may leach into the baby food itself, exposing infants to
Bisphenol A. Of particular interest to the Members are case studies in
which the DC based consultancy touts its successes in certain scientific
and regulatory matters.